Figure 1.--Sears in its 1936-37 Fall and Winter catalog offered different styles of long stockings for boys and girls. They were all tan and other brown shades. |
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American children began to commonly wear socks in the 1930s. Even so, long stockings were still commonly worn. Here are long stocking offered by Sears in its Fall-Winter, 1936-37 catalog (p. 176). We note several different styles offered on this page. They were made for boys and girls. They were all done in various brown shades. A good example of how children's long stockings had shifted to tan and other brown shades.
The Sears, Roebuck and Co., huge merchandising firm centered in Chicago was founded by Richard W. Sears (1863-1914) and A.C. Roebuck (1864-1948).
Sears had begun a career in mail-order business in Minnesota 1886. In Chicago he and Roebuck joined resources and formed a corporation in 1893 as a mail-order business under title Sears, Roebuck and Company. The catalog by the 1890s included just about any imaginable item. You could even purchase a complete house--all you had to do was assembkle it. In 1895 Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) bought Roebuck's interest the in firm and became president on Sears's retirement 1908. A retail-store system was added 1925. The first foreign store added in Havana, Cuba during 1945 and becane the first expropriated store in 1960. The Sears-Roebuck catalog brought the production of industry to the fartherest corner of rural America, opening the cornucopia of the consumer age to rural America. All
the new things that were changing American life danced across their pages. Through it, a huge Chicago warehouse offers to modernize the farms and small towns of the Midwest.
Here are long stocking offered by Sears in its Fall-Winter, 1936-37 catalog (p. 176). The catalog is a good example of shiting hosiery trends in the United States. We note several different styles of long offered on this page. The catalog includes many other types of hosiery.
They were made for boys and girls. There was, however, a special offering for young misses.
The long stockings here were all done in various brown shades. A good example of how children's long stockings had shifted to tan and other brown shades.
Here is the ad copy for the varios types of long stockings Sears offered.
The Sears ad copy read, "35 cents a Pair. Extra Warm, Ribbed-To-Toe Nothing can take the place of legs that are out in the bitter cold. And these handsome sports ribbed stockings are 50% wool! Medium heavy
weight--half fine cotton to make them soft and longer wearing. Seamless soles. reinforced heels, toes. 36 D 2696--French tan, dark tan, or brown. Sizes 6, 6 1/2, 7, 7 1/2, 8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, and 10.
See size scale. [The size scale says that the size of the stocking is the length of the child's foot in inches.] State size and color. Shipping weight, pair 4 oz. 2 pairs, 7 oz. Pair, 35 cents. 2 Pairs, 69
cents."
The Sears ad copy read, "25 cents a Pair. Cotton, Rayon and Wool. About 15% wool--more than
you'd ever expect in a 25 cent stocking. Better looking--because they're part lustrous rayon. Longer-wearing because they're part cotton. Fine ribbed legs. Seamless, flat knit feet. Reinforced
heels, toes. 86 D 2658--French tan, Brown or Dark brown. Sizes 6, 6 1/2, 7, 7 1/2, 8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, 10. See size scale. State size and color. Shipping weight, pair, 4 oz.; 3 pairs, 9 oz. Pair, 25 cents; 3
Pairs, 73 cents." [Rayon content in children's stockings made them dressier. They were often worn by boys and girls for church or other formal occasions.]
The Sears ad copy read, "Children's Stockings. Strong Enough for Rough Play, Fine enough for Dress.
19 cents a Pair. 3 Pairs for 55 cents. If you judge stockings by the wear they give for the money you'll give these first place! They're combed cotton--with 2-thread yarns in the legs ... 3-thread yarns in the soles ... 4 thread yarns in the heels and toes. Besides there's an extra reinforcement at the back of the
heel where most wear or "rub" from shoes comes. And just because they're so long-wearing don't lose sight of how good looking they are. Ribbed all the way to the toe. Your choice of wide or narrow ribbing.
Comfortable flat knit seamless feet. 86 D 2646--Fine ribbed. 86 D 2650--Wide ribbed. Colors: Camel tan, Dark tan or French tan. Sizes 6, 6 1/2, 7, 7 1/2, 8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, 10. See size scale. Shipping
weight, pair, 4 ounces. 3 Pairs, 8 ounces.
The Sears ad copy, "Flat Knit! Specially Shaped! Made for Girls and Misses. 17 cents a Pair.
Shop wherever you please, but you'll not find such features in girl's stockings at so low a price as this! They're made especially to fit girls and small women. They're shaped smaller and shorter in the leg.
Smoothly flat knit of strong, mercerized cotton. Heels, toes and tops reinforced for longer wear. Smooth, comfortable seamless feet. 86 D 2639--Beige, Townwear or French tan. Sizes 8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, and 10.
See size scale. State size and color. Shipping weight, pair, 3 oz.; 3 pairs, 8 oz. Pair, 17 cents; 3 Pairs, 50 cents." [N.B. Most children's stockings were unshaped in the legs with no difference between stockings for boys and girls. Older girls, however, wanted to imitate the shaped stockings of their mothers, which meant a closer and more shapely fit. Girls felt more grown-up with such stockings. Boys would not have cared about such things.]
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